Thank you, Luke
by Averse
Summary: Richard dies in the hospital, leaving the Gilmore's in pieces. Luckily, Luke is there to step in when Lorelai needs a shouler to lean on. JJLL, but, well, duh.


**A/N: Okay, let's get this straight. I lurve Richard; I wouldn't wish him dead at'all. 'Cept it'd make a lurvely LL fic XD And, also, just because I'm working on multiple fics, doesn't mean I get them done before next millennial -.-**

"Oh my God!" Luke gasped, disgusted, as Lorelai pointed out a man with a screwdriver through his head to allow herself escape without further interrogation. Pulling his hat down further, he hurried to his seat, staring pointedly at his shoes. That was a cruel trick. Hospitals made him nervous; seeing a man nearly decapitated by a screwdriver didn't help his phobia. He glared at her, annoyed before she could get to far, suppressing a smile as she stuck her tongue out in response. She was just so cute sometimes, it made him almost giddy. So cute, sweet, funny, sprightly, pretty, smart, vivacious...Shaking his head vaguely, he replaced his blue eyes in their space upon the ground, only to be abruptly torn from his concentration. 

"Lore--oh my God, Lorelai! He--He--Doctor! Doctor!" Emily ran out of Richard's hospital room, her face red and flustered, shrieking like a mad woman. Immediately concerned, Lorelai hurried back, catching the back end of her mother's words. "He p-promised I'd go first--Doctor! Help!" She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. For a moment, Lorelai stood there stupidly, her hands trembling around her coffee cup. Her face had taken an ashen tone, mouth agape, eyes wide. Shaking her head, muttering under her breath, she ran in the other direction. Looking from side to side, mildly confused, Luke hurried behind her. 

She was quicker than he'd anticipated, and Luke found he had to almost run to keep up with her, unable to speak until she stopped her mad dash outside of the hospital building, collapsing onto the bench with a quiet _'oof'_. He sat down next to her, face softening with understanding. Giving him a weak smile, she inhaled shakily. Luke placed a consoling hand on her knee, and she grasped it firmly, squeezing it for comfort. 

Luke's blue eyes studied her tentatively, brow furrowed in bitter understanding. She looked...unlike herself. The flirty glimmer caught in the corner of her eyes had diminished, her sprightly smile dissipated. The corners of her rosy lips tilted downwards, twitching slightly as she held back tears he saw gleaming in her eyes. She had always had to be the strong one. Not for herself but other's. If anyone needed a good cry it was Lorelai Gilmore. She met his gaze hesitantly, and the tears finally broke their restraints, rolling down her cheeks in wild torrents. 

"Luke..." She managed between sobs, her slim shoulders shaking with every sharp intake of breath. His heart wrenched, and he wrapped her in his arms, cradling her like a small child. She felt so right there--but it was hardly the right time to take advantage. She cried into his placating shoulder for about a half hour, as he stroked her hair and murmured words of comfort in her ear. With every horrible cry that exited her mouth, his gut twisted and his hear writhed with horrible pity. He'd gone through the same thing. 

When his father had died, he'd spent a good...hour sitting in his room, thinking everything over. It didn't seem right for him to mourn for a long while, so not a tear did he shed. His father wouldn't have like it. And for two weeks after the death, his eyes were dry. Then, at the funeral, he finally shed his tears, listening to the stories of his father's past. Not because he was sad; because his father was remembered so fondly. Still, there had been a great deal of emotional pain that still plagued him occasionally. He wouldn't wish that on Lorelai--his vivacious, Java junkie Lorelai that would quip with him every morning, who was the most 'good' person he met. 

And she was 'good.' Not in the way society might call it, perhaps she'd be shunned for having a child at sixteen. But Luke had always admired her in both meanings of the word. He'd at first admired her ways with Rory. She was an amazing mother--and also the way she balanced work and social lives, only getting seriously stressed once every blue moon. Lorelai was amazingly independent. But then he slowly began to admire her for little things; her dress, her hair, her attitude. The way she always seemed so well put together. Her quick wit and sharp mind; he beauty. The way she twirled her dark hair around her finger sometimes when thinking; the crinkle in the corner of her eyes when she smiled. Her dimples. Her perfect white teeth. And that's where he'd fallen hopelessly in love. 

"I...I'm sorry. It's just a lot to think about, right? Rory will be out soon." Lorelai sniffed, wiping under her eyes and offering a watery smile. Standing up, she patted her muddled hair, wiping her running mascara. She didn't want to make this any harder on Rory, and Lorelai knew seeing her looking for comfort from Luke would not help. "Thanks for everything. Would you mind taking Rory home? I'll drive the jeep." 

Luke was rendered speechless by her amazing way of hiding everything for the sake of her daughter's happiness. Another trait to add to his ever growing list of perfection. Adjusting his hat, he grunted in response, regarding her with cautious eyes as she stumbled towards the parking lot. Picking up the pace, he gripped her shoulder, holding her still. 

"No. Your parents will work something out for Rory; you're coming with me." Luke told her calmly, though his tone final. She sniffed again, rolling her eyes, but made no objection as he led her by the elbow to the truck. Step by trembling step, they made it too the ancient vehicle as Lorelai relived every remotely happy moment that included her father. And, by the time they were out of the parking lot, she was done. 

"Don't get me wrong. He was a great man, I've told you that. But maybe not the right man to be _my_ father. And I loved...lov_ed_." She ended, musing solemnly with things in her mind, looking absently out the passenger window as they drove towards Stars Hollow once again. He cast a glance her way, hoping to comfort her slightly, though her head was faced away from him. Reaching a hand off of the steering wheel as they reached a light, he brushed a strand of hair from her face, squeezing her shoulder gently. 

"It'll be all right. I know what its like." She gave him a meek smile, and he felt as if his heart would break in two at the sight of brackish residue resting on her cheeks, marking the path of her tears. They pulled up to her house, and both were silent, making no move, for a few moments. Turning to face him she smiled again patting his hand gratefully. 

"Thanks Luke. For everything. Not just tonight--you've always been there. And, well, thank you." She said quietly, her eyes meeting with his suddenly. Raising his hand, he trailed his fingers down her cheek slowly, almost hesitantly caressing her jawbone, giving her a comforting smile. Lorelai leaned into his touch, her blue eyes closing as a few more tears escaped, stifling a quiet sob. Goosebumps formed along the path his fingers made, and her cupped her pretty face in his right hand as she leaned into it, his heart giving another painful twist as she cried again. "Luke?" 

"Yes?" Was all he could say, not knowing if thank you would be the proper response. She opened her eyes slowly, and his gut flipped, noticing the lack of playful glimmer he so relished. Their eyes met, and her tears slowed. Reaching his other hand up, he wiped the tears from her face, and she smiled gratefully at him, placing her hand over his, making him stay pressed to her cheeks. 

"Could you stay with me tonight?" Lorelai muttered, her expression weary and sad. This was the kind of question he'd always dreamed of hearing from her, but he knew their was no suggestive connotation in the query. She was lonely, and wanted someone to talk to. He smiled cheerily, nodding his head and turning off the truck. "Thank you, again, for everything." 

She leaned forward, and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. It was meant as a thank you for being there notion, an I'd be lost without you kind of friendly moment. The kind in movies. But before she could realize anything, his mouth was pressed to hers, their arms wrapped around eachother in a tight hug. Tears flew down her face, feeling almost painfully guilty; but her newly developed need for Luke conquered it without much of a fight. 

Luke wanted to pull away--he felt as if he was taking advantage. She was hurt and vulnerable, and he was thinking thoughts about her that even she may be slightly shocked to hear. It was wrong. Morally wrong. But she she bit his lower lip, her tongue invading his mouth, and he couldn't say no. If Lorelai had told him to jump off a cliff, and then kissed him, he'd have flown off the edge and died happy. He just couldn't say no to her. She was everything to him, but she didn't seem to know it. 

He lost his hands in her curly mass of black hair, savoring the feeling of the silky tendrils between his fingers. His other hand pushed her into him with a gentle force, roaming her back with newfound confidence. He shivered as her hand toyed with the curly hairs at the base of his neck. Every move she made sent a wave of desire through him that made him even more aware of the ever increasing butterflies in his stomach. He played with her lower lip, gently nipping, running his tongue along her teeth before pressing it against hers. Lorelai emitted a soft moan at the sensation he sent through her, finally summoning the strength to pull away. 

They sat foreheads pressed against each other in the car for several minutes, breath labored and jagged. Lorelai's blue eyes were trained towards the ground, sniffing quietly, before offering him a smile that was something close to her old flirtatious smirk. "If anyone ever needs comforting, I'll give them your number." 


End file.
